Purita Kalaw Ledesma

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Purita Kalaw Ledesma
BornPurita Kalaw
(1914-02-02)February 2, 1914
Manila, Philippine Islands
DiedApril 29, 2005(2005-04-29) (aged 91)
Alma materUniversity of the Philippines
University of Michigan
SpouseRafael Ledesma
Children4
RelativesMaria Kalaw Katigbak (sister)
Eva Estrada Kalaw (sister-in-law)
Pura Villanueva Kalaw (mother)
Teodoro Kalaw (father)

Purita Kalaw Ledesma (2 February 1914 — 29 April 2005) was a writer and art critic and founder of the Art Association of the Philippines in 1948.

Early life[]

Purita Kalaw was born in Manila, the daughter of government official Teodoro M. Kalaw (1884-1940) and journalist Purificacion (Pura) Villanueva Kalaw (1886-1954). Her mother Pura was also prominent writer and suffragist. Purita's sister Maria Kalaw Katigbak became a senator, as did their sister-in-law Eva Estrada Kalaw. Purita Kalaw studied fine arts at the University of the Philippines and pursued further studies in art and design at the University of Michigan.[1] She held two master's degrees, one in education and one in art education, the latter completed when she was 72 years old.[2]

Career[]

In 1948, Purita Kalaw Ledesma founded the Art Association of the Philippines[3] and became president of the organization.[1] Kalaw Ledesma also managed the family real estate company, L. P. Kalaw, Inc.,[4] and attended a conference in Boston in that capacity in 1960.[5]

Books by Kalaw Ledesma include The Struggle for Philippine Art (1974, with Amadis Maria Guerrero); Edades: National Artist (1979, with Amadis Maria Guerrero, about Victorio Edades); The Biggest Little Room (1987, about the Philippine Art Gallery); and And Life Goes On (1994, an autobiography).[2][6][7][8] Her 1955 essay "A Critical Analysis of Modern Painting in the Philippines Today" is still considered an important text on the subject.[9] She also published a cookbook, Family Recipes, in the 1980s.[10]

Personal life and legacy[]

Purita Kalaw married Rafael Ledesma.[11] They had four daughters, Rita, Consuelo, Ada, and Lourdes. Kalaw Ledesma experienced a debilitating stroke in 2000 and died in April 2005, aged 91 years.[1]

In 2010 there was an exhibit of works by Filipino artists from Kalaw Ledesma's personal collection, held at Ayala Museum in Manila.[12] There is a Purita Kalaw Ledesma Prize for Art Criticism, presented by the Ateneo Art Gallery and the Kalaw-Ledesma Foundation, "to foster critical public discussion about exhibitions and artworks."[13]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Rosalinda L. Orosa, "Remembering Purita" Philippine Star (4 May 2005).
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Anne Marie Ozaeta, "Purita Kalaw Ledesma: An Accidental Writer" Philippine Star (27 January 2014).
  3. ^ Eloisa May P. Hernandez, "The American and Contemporary Traditions in Philippine Visual Arts" Republic of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (15 April 2015).
  4. ^ Rowena C. Burgos, "Purita Kalaw-Ledesma, the woman behind Philippine visual arts" Philippine Daily Inquirer (31 January 2010).
  5. ^ "Realty Course Holds World Wide Interest" Bristol Daily Courier (18 April 1960): 22. via Newspapers.comopen access
  6. ^ Purita Kalaw Ledesma and Amadis Maria Guerrero, The Struggle for Philippine Art (Ledesma 1974).
  7. ^ Purita Kalaw Ledesma and Amadis Maria Guerrero, Edades: National Artist (Filipinas Foundation 1979).
  8. ^ Purita Kalaw Ledesma with Jaime C. Laya, And Life Goes On (P. Kalaw-Ledesma 1994).
  9. ^ Anna Gamboa, "Notes from Purita" Adobo Magazine (15 February 2016).
  10. ^ Angelo Comsti, The Filipino Family Cookbook (Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd 2014): 42. ISBN 9789814634946
  11. ^ Alex Castro, "1908, Queen of the Orient, Pura Garcia Villanueva, part 2" Manila Carnivals 1908-1939: A Pictorial History of the "Greatest Annual Event in the Orient" (12 August 2008).
  12. ^ A Vision of Philippine Art: Selections from the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Collection (exhibition catalog, Ayala Museum, 2010).
  13. ^ "Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize for Art Criticism 2015 is now accepting entries" Philippine Star (15 December 2014).
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